Cultural Complication Shorts
by ScarletLycan
Summary: One-Shots related to my story 'Cultural Complications' looking at the relationship of Spock & Sorvik. Slash, NON-graphic. Chapter One; Prequel to CC; Amanda and Sarek consider who to choose as a mate for their son.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: These are shorts relating to my other story, 'Cultural Complications,' centring about Spock and Sorvik. It was received better than I'd hoped, and I sort of love the pairing, sooo... Also, thanks to all reviewers of that for your input, its always good to hear opinions. :)**

**Disclaimer; I do not own Star Trek, nor any of its people, places, items, ideas, bleh bleh bleh...**

**Notes; This one is before the marriage, when Sarek and Amanda were choosing Spock's mate. It's a little silly, though the next chapter will be more serious. Sorvik only plays a small part in this one, I'm afraid, but the next is all Spock and Sorvik.**

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* * *

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"I don't know if I like this - why do we have to arrange a marriage at all?" Amanda asked for the fourth time. "Spock might not even go through _pon far…"_

"That is true," Sarek said, patiently. "He may also merely go through it less frequently; his human heritage could make it come _more _frequently. His Time may be more or less powerful than is usual, or the same as any full-blooded Vulcan. We have no way of knowing. Will you risk his life with unlikely hopes?"

"If he hasn't gone through it by now - "

"Some go through their first Time as late as fifty-six," Sarek pointed out, "though it might be rare. I do not understand your reluctance."

"The whole business with T'Pring hasn't exactly reassured me, no, sorry. And now we're looking for a _male - "_

"We know for certain he can not have children," Sarek said, as he had already explained several times. "It is highly unlikely another clan would allow him one of their daughters, and that is logical. I do not understand your reaction."

"I just - I don't want him to have a _husband. _What if he doesn't like Spock, like T'Pring? And you know he'll likely belong to the other, if his _pon far _isn't coming."

"First, T'Pring did not choose to go with Stonn simply because she did not 'like' Spock. Nor do I see how the sex of Spock's spouse would affect that matter."

"It's just…" Amanda seemed to search for words. "Oh, never mind." Sarek raised an eyebrow. "But I don't believe what T'Pring said, you know. That harpy hated him for his human blood, I'd swear it."

"She shamed her clan," Sarek said simply. "She is without logic. It can only be beneficial to us that she denied him, then."

"Well, fair enough. I never liked her anyway, you know."

"You met her only once - when she was seven."

"So?"

Sarek shook his head slightly. Amanda continued. "Well, I know one thing - I'm not letting Spock be matched up with the highest bidder this time."

"Highest bidder?"

"I don't care what family his mate will be from," she said, firmly. Sarek's eyebrows shot to his hairline. "_We _are going to meet all the prospective mates, and then decide which his best for him."

"Without taking Houses into account?" Sarek asked somewhat incredulously.

"Yes."

"Occupation?"

"Doesn't matter, as long as he has a job."

"Wealth?"

She flicked her fingers. "I don't want him to be someone totally without money or occupation, I'll admit, it's good to know my son won't have trouble in that area, even excluding the clan's wealth - but it really doesn't matter."

"T'Pau will not like this."

"And_ Spock _would not like to be married to some xenophobic bastard."

"I assure you there are very few Vulcans conceived out of wedlock, and the odds that Spock would be paired with one, much less a xenophobic -"

"You know that's not what I meant, stop it. Look, we're interviewing them, that's final."

Technically, by Vulcan law, it was up to Sarek to decide on his son's mate. But the logical Vulcan knew better than to go against a protective Terran mother, and this one in particular.

"Yes, wife."

* * *

Amanda apparently did some judging of each of the potentials by appearance alone, which Sarek found somewhat illogical, so he was forced to watch out a window with her as the candidates would come up the long path to their home.

"No," Amanda said immediately as she saw the first candidate. "No, no, no, no, _no. _No _way _is he marrying my baby."

"Spock is - "

"I _know _he's not a child, but he _is _compared to _that. _My god, that man has to be two hundred!"

"One-hundred ninety seven."

"I don't care. He's grey, he's walking with a cane, and he's… no."

"Age should not be a factor when there are so few options - "

"_No. _Just… no. Someone younger. _Much _younger. Look, look at it logically, please - no point in giving Spock a mate that will probably die within a few decades anyway, right?"

And, frankly, the thought of her little boy having to mate with that wheezing carcass -

_Shudder._

But, really… She had no issue with couples with great age differences… but for one thing those she approved of were generally for _love. _She was _not _going to subject her son to an _unwanted _marriage with a senior-citizen.

"He is from a very respectable family…"

Sarek trailed off at Amanda's glare. "What did I say about that?" She hissed.

"…"

"That's what I thought."

Sarek was somewhat baffled by his wife's ferocity with this subject. Usually she was a quiet, even-tempered thing, strong in her way but impeccably polite and respecting of Vulcan customs. _Today, _however, she was showing a rather rare fierceness. There was no reasoning with her when she got like this; he had learned the best thing to do was to just go along with it.

Her manner changed to polite and charming as the old Vulcan entered, still slightly puzzled with the fact that he was being _interviewed _instead of just receiving a marriage request but taking it in stride. He answered a few questions, really of no worth, and was bid away. He seemed to take it as just human illogic, not realizing he had already been taken from the list.

"I don't like that one," Amanda said immediately as the next came. "He looks nasty."

Sarek looked at the approaching figure skeptically. He was about the same size as Spock, not very dissimilar in features, and his face was totally blank.

Nasty?

He entered. Amanda smiled politely despite her stated misgivings, opening her mouth -

"If I may," the Vulcan interrupted. "I do not see the purpose, Ambassador Sarek, in indulging this illogical human 'interview'."

It was Sarek he was addressing, but it was not he who answered. "Oh?" Amanda asked. "You have a problem with humans?" Not waiting for an answer; "How do you intend to treat my _half human _son, if you're to bond with him?"

A quirked eyebrow. "His needs will, of course, be provided for."

Her eyes narrowed at the cool answer. "And you don't care about the human blood?"

"He is a member of the clan of Surak," the Vulcan dismissed. "Any such alliance outweighs such negative factors."

"Get out that door before I punch you."

Sarek _did _agree that they should not consider the one who had killed two previous mates in _pon-far_-gone-awry. Most of the rest he really didn't even have to evaluate. Amanda seemed to find something wrong with each of them. Two he somewhat agreed with, after comtemplation;

"Sarek, his last mate went _mysteriously missing, _totally unexplained, and I don't like the look of him. I don't care if he probably just went missing! You don't _know, _do you? No, I don't _care _what Clan he's from, haven't I said that? And I don't think the alliance will last long anyway if our son is _murdered _by his bondmate, so…"

"Absolutely _not. _You know how that family is about Starfleet - what do you _mean _that's good? No it's not! You really want him to be _forced _to quit?" (Amanda threw a minor fit at this and yelled at the surprised Sarek for several minutes.)

Some of her choices he did not understand at all.

"He looked shifty. It was his eyes. Cross-eyed? Well, I still don't like him. He seemed… arrogant."

"Did he smell to you?"

"He looked stalker-ish. I don't how, he just did. No."

"He had a _moustache. _A little _Hitler _moustache. Moustaches are _signs_ _of evil."_

(Sarek; "…")

One of the most illogical, besides the last; "He doesn't seem intelligent. Spock needs intelligent."

(Sarek might not have contested that if she hadn't said that before speaking with the Vulcan, though after he _was _forced to admit that it seemed she was correct - how did she do it?)

"No. He's… large. And I'm not so sure of his attitude. I don't like that. Don't tell me I'm _illogical, _I don't want to risk having Spock that much weaker than his mate… I don't _care_ if that makes sense or not, it's not happening."

It was the last reason that had Sarek sure she would dismiss the next candidate, Sorvik, a tall, broad Vulcan who was easily stronger then their son. Indeed, she said as much as he approached, as she had with the one before. As always, however, she greeted him politely enough as he entered.

"Alright, Sorvik. You're - forty nine? So you had a mate before this, I'm assuming?" Sorvik confirmed this. "Alright, what happened to him?"

"He was killed in an incident in the market - accidentally stabbed."

Amanda nodded, gave the customary Vulcan response to a loss, but paused to eye him closely. Nothing about his face seemed to change, exactly, but it seemed like he somehow _emitted _sorrow. Interested; "What did he do?"

"He was a musician."

"Oh? Do you like music?"

"I… find it agreeable." He seemed somewhat puzzled at the question. Her lips twitched slightly at that.

"Alright, do you - "

"If I may," Sorvik interrupted. Amanda raised her own eyebrow, nodding. "I feel obliged to inform you that I am… not so sure of the wisdom of a bond between myself and your son."

"Because he's human?"

He looked a little surprised. "No. I… still grieve my late bondmate. I do not know if this shall effect him adversely through the bond. I would not have him experience any discomfort due to my - emotions."

Amanda's eyes glittered with something odd, and Sarek felt a strange sense of anticipation, watching her. "From my understanding of the bonds, he will be quite unharmed, and he is a strong telepath; if he truly wanted to he could shield himself from you." A pause. "What's your position?"

"I am a junior ambassador in the Diplomatic Corps."

"Really?" Sorvik looked somewhat alarmed at the question, obviously not sure how to respond.

"I am not lying," he said, somewhat baffled.

"Sorry, human thing," Amanda assured hastily. "…Tell me a bit about yourself."

Sarek was quite certain what her decision would be before he left. She turned to him, triumphant, totally forgetting her initial thoughts on the Vulcan.

"_That _one."

He accepted this - Sorvik came from a good family, had a respectable position, and was a close enough age for the difference to be negligible to the long-lived Vulcans. It was a good match. Still, he did not quite understand why she had picked him.

Amanda had her own reasons, totally unrelated to those of her husband. Those details might be nice perks, but the main reason was _emotion. _He had cared for his mate, had _admitted _to caring for his mate, and had shown concern for a Vulcan he had not yet met.

He was, really, the only _logical _choice.

* * *

_Spock - _

_A spouse has been selected for you. He is a member of the House of Styvrel. The marriage will take place in four weeks. You will return to Vulcan as soon as is possible to familiarize yourself with him before the ceremony, as you will undoubtedly be returning to duty afterward. You will be expected to comport yourself with the dignity befitting a Son of Surak._

_Your mother also would like me to assure you that he is a more than appropriate choice. I concur that he had somehow met her standards, which were both rigorous and illogically baffling._

_S._

* * *

_ ***No offense intended to people with little Hitler moustaches. *grins* Married to a Vulcan or not, you can't expect Amanda to really be that logical, can you?**_

**___ Reviews?_**


	2. Chapter 2

**2.**

**Takes place at some point when the Vulcan party is still aboard, but after the crew stopped hating Sorvik's guts.**

* * *

"Does this happen… Often?"

"Well." The captain shifted uncomfortably. "It's only the second time…"

"Fifth, actually," Scotty piped up helpfully.

"What? No it isn't! I think I would remember my first officer being held hostage by a mad plant/animal/thing sprouting in the corridors!"

"Well, the first two were under Pike, Sir, and, well, I didn't see any need to bother you with it the last time."

"You didn't think I needed to hear about it? Seriously? You just, what, neglected to mention or report this _completely?"_

"Well… Yeah."

Jim stared at Scotty.

"What? Sir, really, I don't know why it keeps popping up in the halls, but it always vanishes within twelve hours and doesn't really do any harm…"

Sorvik had been startled and alarmed at sudden panic and pain through the bond he shared with Spock, racing for Engineering as it registered that his mate was in danger. The captain had seen him flying through the halls and followed him to Engineering.

"Okay." Jim pinched his nose. "Do you have any idea how this happened?"

"Nope," Scotty said bluntly. "Might be related to Mr. Spock somehow, 'cause it latches onto him each time, but far as I know it just… appears. Pretty randomly."

"So no one even noticed it randomly growing in the middle of Engineering?"

"I'm telling you, Sir, it was just _there_!"

"And the scientists - ?"

"Can't get close enough for samples, just like before, and the scanners don't seem to work on it… Damn things really in the way… I wouldn't recommend trying to fire at it, either."

"Yes, last time you said Pike did that?"

"Uh - huh. Starting going mad, banged up Mr. Spock pretty good. If it's going to disappear to who-knows-where soon enough, might as well just let it be."

"This is ridiculous, we can't just let this keep happening."

Sorvik ignored the humans, eyeing the sprawling green plant keeping his mate hostage, surrounded by curious engineers and scientists.. A dull ache of pain came through the bond - his mate was not in the most comfortable of positions, and had been rather bruised when randomly attacked. Vines swayed about the plant almost lazily, but he knew they would turn vicious if he approached.

The captain and Scotty continued talking. "But you said _animal _plant…?"

"Well, some of the scientists theorized it might be an animal that looks like a plant, since it seems to act with some basic emotion and instinct, not just reflex… Can't tell for sure, though."

If it was an animal, could he perhaps reach it's mind, enough to convince the creature to release his mate? It was illogical, they said his mate would be released within less than twelve hours, no one seemed concerned, but his mate was in _pain, _and that plant… animal… _thing _could surely become violent at any time! It could _kill _his mate easily, before any of them could react, crushing him with those strong vines -

No. It would _not _harm his mate; he would not allow it.

Scotty frowned, trailing off mid-sentence as he spoke to the captain. "Is the plant _growling_?" He asked, baffled.

"I don't think it's from the plant," Jim said, equally puzzled. He looked around, confused.

A stab of pain came through the bond; the plant had broken Spock's leg.

Screw telepathy.

He rushed forward, plunging through vines darting to stop him, anger rising as another shot of pain came through the bond as the plant's grip tightened.

He ignored the sting of vines battering at him, ferally biting on one connected to the part-Vulcan. The blows stopped, the plant seeming to writhe, and he darted forward to grab his mate and run out.

They were out of range. Spock was leaning on him heavily, pale, trying to keep his broken leg from trailing. Sorvik became aware, quite suddenly, that not all the pain he felt was from his bondmate. The ripped clothing on his arms and the green blood making its way down his body may have helped in that little revelation.

Just a little.

Dimly, he heard the captain shouting for medics. He ignored this, moving his eyes from the blood-stained remains of his robe to search his bondmate for more injuries.

His mate grabbed his arm. "Sorvik - "

A hazy shape rushed over and Sorvik snarled, making the 'threat' back away. Spock continued, more urgent now. "Sorvik, you need to sit down."

Sorvik clutched at the half-Vulcan, pulling him against him and winding his arms about the other tightly. Visions of another blood-specked Vulcan came to mind - Sernil, his first mate. _Not again, never again, I will not _allow _it to happen again, he will live - _

"Sorvik, _sit down!"_

_Nevernevernevernevernever -_

* * *

Sorvik woke to the soft whir of machinery in Sickbay. His whole body felt sore and odd, but a combination of drugs kept the pain at bay. Immediately, his hazy mind turned to one thing, but even as he started in alarm he heard Spock coming to his bedside - rather awkwardly, as his leg was still injured.

Spock expected his concern, it seemed, for he immediately sat beside Sorvik on the small biobed, and the older Vulcan shifted to allow him to lay down. The touch was comforting. The touch of their minds, especially, gave him immediate calm. He recognized the strange feel in his mate's mind that meant he was merely drugged to not feel pain, but no pain was no pain, and his injuries were certainly nothing that wouldn't heal soon enough.

He kept one hand touching the half-Vulcan's wrist, feeling the rapid flutter of his heart-beat. He was surprised, however, when Spock spoke.

"You are afraid."

It was simple, matter-of-fact. Still, Sorvik shook his head. "Fear is illogical."

"Yes," Spock agreed. "And you were quite illogical indeed yesterday."

"You were in danger."

"Not excessively so. The plant would have released me soon enough, if the previous encounters meant anything."

"It could have killed you."

"Highly unlikely."

"But possible."

"Your reasons had no rationale but emotion."

"I needed to protect you."

"I see. Sorvik, I do not require protection." Spock looked at him solemnly. "You _are _afraid, of losing another bondmate."

Sorvik took a deep breath, pulling his mate closer unconsciously. "This is irrelevant."

"It is not. You are allowing your emotions to control you."

"Emotion is acceptable concerning bondmates."

"Not like this."

"Is defense of a bondmate not logical?"

"In the right circumstances, certainly. But you had no reason to interfere, except that I was injured. You lost a large amount of blood; you could have died."

"An acceptable risk."

"It is not. I value you as much as you do I."

Sorvik acknowledge this with a dip of his head. "Which does not mean I should not protect you."

Spock's eyes challenged him. "It is not easy to lose a bondmate; I understand that, if not so well as yourself. Would you put me through that future as well?"

"If you are dead, you can not have any 'future'. I would have you alive and mourning rather than dead."

Spock shook his head, slowly. "…Sorvik, you are being paranoid. This is about Sernil, is it not?"

Sorvik tensed slightly. "It is about you."

"Yes," Spock agreed. "I do not doubt your affections for me; but you are _afraid," _He emphasized the word of emotion, "of my death. Sernil's death has had serious effects on you."

"It does not help," Sorvik said suddenly, "that you work in such a dangerous environment."

"So you admit to your fear?"

Sorvik ignored this. "If you returned to Vulcan - "

"No."

"If you returned to Vulcan," Sorvik continued, "You would be in no danger of such things. You could find perfectly respectable and engaging work there - "

"I am not returning to Vulcan."

Sorvik looked at him fiercely. "You would be _safe, _and you would be with me. Is that so terrible a prospect? I do not see the logic in -"

"You could make me return to Vulcan," Spock interrupted quietly.

Sorvik was silent for a moment, watching him. "…You know I would not do that," he said finally. Spock's face was inscrutable. "Why do you not yield to logic? What reasons have you to stay here?"

"I have my reasons. Many I do not think you would understand."

"Could you not be content on Vulcan?" Sorvik asked. "With me?"

"Perhaps one day," Spock said, more gently. "But not now."

Sorvik's eyes closed briefly. "The thought of your death - "

"Do not think of such things, then." Spock interrupted. "_Kaiidth. But, _Sorvik, I shall _not _die here."

"And how would you know this?"

"I know," said Spock with certainty, and he was not sure why, but he did. Illogical, but true. "Sorvik - you must have _control _in these situations."

"It is my _duty _to protect you."

"This goes beyond legal or traditional obligations."

Sorvik looked at him, but seemed weary suddenly. "… it does. I shall not allow you to come to harm."

"A day might come where you will have no choice."

"If you are attempting to be reassuring, you have failed spectacularly."

Spock looked ready to speak again. "No," Sorvik said. "I will be here not much longer. Indulge my protectiveness a short while."

Spock really looked at him this time, seeing the haunted look in his eyes, the desperation tinged with madness. If Spock was lost to him…

"You must trust my judgement," Spock said, softly but firmly. "Can you not do that?"

Sorvik's face was pained, but, slowly, he nodded. "…Of course."

"We shall speak of this further later," Spock compromised. He felt Sorvik's relief clearly. He allowed himself to be pulled against the other, the two laying down fully, Sorvik's arms wrapped about him to feel the steady rise and fall of his chest, the thrum of his heart.

It was in this position that McCoy found them when he arrived, both fast asleep. He shook his head, even as a fond smile came to his lips.

"That's disgustingly adorable."


End file.
